4200 miles in 10 days. Rode to/from GA. Traded the 07 Road King Classic a couple of days after getting back....Ready now fro next year.

 

We went...great riding, great weather but I was amazed at the lack courtesy at intersections by fellow bikers in and around the downtown areas.

Like any bike week, saw many folks "learning to ride" there. We stayed at Hog Heaven Campground. Great stay there; centrally located. It was also a miracle inside the campground there weren't any crashes at the dirt road intersection between campground roads. A lot of ingnorant, careless riders and these weren't kids either. These were older riders.

Passed a couple of accident scenes; one fatal with the body still on the roadway. We learned later the guy tried to pass an 18 wheeler, clipped the rear of trailer and also took out a bike coming the opposite direction. So uneccessary...

Other than the foolishness, great trip!

 

I spent 11 days, 6000 miles, and a few lost parts for 3 hours at Sturgis. I stopped for 2 t-shirts and a "Big ***" sandwich. Sturgis now epitomizes the adage "It's the journey not the destination."

 

Had a great time. Did the same rides as most others. Here's some pics.

 

Got home and rested a few days then drove back with my wife in the car. We went through Spearfish canyon. Stopped in Deadwood for some gambling. Found one T-shirt place still open downtown Sturgis and got 4 T's for $37.50.

We went there on I-94 in N. Dakota and down U.S. 85. There was a good flow of bikes going east bound. When we headed back to Illinois on I-90 I was surprised at the number of bikes going west bound. Some large groups most in small groups and some solos. The majority of the bikes were two up. School must be starting for many so the kids must be at the grandparents.

I saw one sad sight. A group of three baggers on the side of the road and three middle aged couples watching one HD bagger being lifted up by a wrecker to be hauled away. The horror of it. Not even a flat bed. It was on Sunday and just east of Sturgis headed to Rapid City. When I got to the area where the HD dealer is located it had a big sign "open on Sundays". Maybe those folks will get lucky and back on the road in a short time.

 

I'm impressed by the stats, with that many people and no deaths and only a few injuries, those are stats we can live with . Seams like in past years there are always multiple fatal injuries. Love to hear nobody gave their life for the rally....

 

Those stats are very interesting. They tell me that police were VERY tolerant throughout the rally. I mean...30 DUI's in Sturgis? 129 tickets? Considering the sheer volume of people, bikes, and cops, I find this amazing. Glad it all went smoothly.

Sturgis
•Driving under the influence: 30
•Misdemeanor drug arrest: 15
•Felony drug arrest: 1
•Other felony arrests: 0
•Total tickets: 129
•Total warnings: 384
•Concealed weapons arrests: 3
•Non-injury accidents: 1
•Injury accidents: 3

Rapid City
•Driving under the influence: 3
•Misdemeanor drug arrest: 8
•Felony drug arrest: 0
•Other felony arrests: 0
•Total tickets: 36
•Total warnings: 72
•Non-injury accidents: 2
•Injury accidents: 2

Southern Hills
•Driving under the influence: 1
•Misdemeanor drug arrest: 1
•Felony drug arrest: 0
•Other felony arrests: 0
•Total tickets: 25
•Total warnings: 68
•Non-injury accidents: 0
•Injury accidents: 0

Badlands
•Driving under the influence: 1
•Misdemeanor drug arrest: 3
•Felony drug arrest: 0
•Other felony arrests: 0
•Total tickets: 14
•Total warnings: 36
•Non-injury accidents: 1
•Injury accidents: 1